A pair of underachieving cops are sent back to a local high school to blend in and bring down a synthetic drug ring.

Margaret: David:

21 Jump Street

Rated MA

Review by Margaret Pomeranz

In 2005, Schmidt, JONAH HILL, and Jenko, CHANNING TATUM, were high school students; Schmidt was clever academically but un-sporty and a miss with the girls, while Jenko was the opposite. Neither of them got to attend the school formal. Seven years later they're rookie cops, so inept they can't remember the caution they are supposed to give suspects when they arrest them. They're assigned to an undercover unit run by sardonic Captain Dickson, ICE CUBE, which is located in the Aroma of Christ Church at 21 Jump Street. Their first assignment is to be sent undercover to a high school to discover who's supplying a dangerous new form of drug. The 80s television series on which this routine comedy is based starred Johnny Depp but it surely CHANNING TATUM is at least more watchable than he was in his last couple of films, and JONAH HILL has some bright comic moments, the funny jokes are few and far between and, when in doubt, the film falls back on that old cliche the car chase - two of them this time.

It's a pity, because the film, directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, could have profitably and humorously explored the ways in which school life has changed in the last few years (bullying is out, the Environment is the buzz word), but it's lazily content to raise laughs through 4-letter words and penis jokes. In other words, it has absolutely no ambition, so that eventually even the efforts of its lead actors - Hill and Tatum were also executive producers - amount to very little.

Further comments

DAVID: Margaret?

MARGARET: It does lack wit, I must say.

DAVID: Definitely.

MARGARET: But Jonah Hill thought of the idea for this film and I think he was one of the writers on it and it sort of seems to me that there is a certain degree of indulgence in this. And okay, it is basically a bromance, really, between these two misfits but it just doesn't soar. It never gets to the point where - like PROJECT X gets to excess. I know you hated that film too.

DAVID: Oh, I hate that film more.

MARGARET: But this one never takes off really. But at the same time I think that both of those guys have a really nice screen presence.

DAVID: Well, they do and that makes it all the more disappointing in a way because there's the potential for a really nice buddy comedy if at least there was a bit of wit there but there isn't.

MARGARET: I don't know that I want to go into how school has changed in terms of no bullying and that environment...

Comments (22)

TheMaster1378 :

15 Mar 2013 12:06:33am

((21 Jump Street))[[8]]21 Jump street is by far one of the funniest films of 2012. It had Action, Comedy and a sense of Drama, it was absolutely hilarious. Tatum and Hill have great chemistry and are a treat to watch. Quite crude at times but at no point is it never entertaining.

luke :

Leigh :

08 Sep 2012 7:42:39am

((21 Jump Street))[[7]]While the premise for 21 Jump Street is simple enough and as usual with these Hollywood comedies, there are crude jokes aplenty, it is the pacing and execution that kick starts 21 Jump Street to another gear. Very amusing scenarios and likeable characters have been neatly fitted into the screenplay which extracts plenty of laughter throughout. While some of the action and comedy sits in the silly basket, there is always plenty of dynamic on screen to keep the viewer well entertained. Looking forward to the sequel!

dezz :

18 May 2012 7:53:36pm

((21 Jump Street))[[10]]LOVE 21 JUMP STREET this film is so good. I love Jonah hill and Channing Tatum they are cute together. This movie is also a younger generation movie. I laughed the whole way through it. I can not wait for the dvd!

Joseph Akers :

19 Apr 2012 4:53:13pm

((21 Jump Street))[[9]]Great Acting, Great Direction, Great Script, Great Casting. But just one small problem, Ice Cube wasn't in the movie for that long. Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill are fabulous on screen together. 4.5/5 "Everything was so great, but one chareacter was a WASTE of talent"

shoerust :

01 Apr 2012 10:18:58am

((21 Jump Street))[[8]]Hilarious. The beginning felt too rushed/forced, but it picked up not long afterwards. The meta jokes are great, and the take on modern high school is spot on. If you know Jonah Hill's style, then you'll most likely love this film. Looking forward to the (possible) sequel.

Marcia :

Ness :

22 Mar 2012 10:13:27am

((21 Jump Street))[[9]]LOVED IT!!!! I thought the casting was perfect and I found it hilarious the entire way through! I thought Channing Tatum did a great job with comedy and Jonah Hill is always great! I think it was a bromance that worked well and was quite heart-warming at the end. Can't wait to own it on dvd so I can watch it all the time!!!

Priscilla :

21 Mar 2012 10:17:01pm

((21 Jump Street))[[9]]Did Margaret & David watch the same movie I watched tonight?! This movie was Phenomenally funny, I was laughing from beginning to end. Even the stupid jokes were cleverly done! Best comedy I've seen in years!

Ian :

21 Mar 2012 5:51:50pm

((21 Jump Street))[[1]]If you are about 18+- and deaf, irreverent, horny, foul-mouthed, disresectful and have nothing else to do this would get a 5. I gave it half a star because of some bits of music and the occasional funny line - and there were some.

I was amazed at the numbers of people at the showing I attended (about 100), mostly young couples.

ron :

Ally Girl :

21 Mar 2012 10:46:34am

((21 Jump Street))[[6]]I had a couple of good giggles in this movie. I did find the excess of swearing and penis jokes unnecessary. But the unexpected way the movie commented on it's use of stereo types by literally referencing them in the script was refreshing. The film didn't take itself too seriously, poking fun at the cliched formula used to construct a comedy these days- it was something a bit different. There was also a lovely msg that even today loyalty, honesty and real friendships are 'cooler' and more fulfilling then drugs money and popularity and there is hope for gen Y.

Daniel Spicer :

20 Mar 2012 7:27:11pm

((21 Jump Street))[[6]]It's a sporadically funny movie rather than consistently funny. It just needed way more jokes since most of them were spoiled by the trailer and weren't surprising. The comedy overall is fairly juvenile and not that smart. But it's wild humour, so depending on your taste, you might get a laugh out of it more than once. Unfortunately, the actions scenes stick out for the wrong reasons, they don't add much besides being an attempt to shake up things.

zak :

18 Mar 2012 7:30:25pm

((21 Jump Street))[[8]]I think Margaret and David don't realise how accurate this film was with modern day high school and hollywood cash grab movies.

this film knew it was pointless and decided to turn the ridiculous plot up to 11. korean jesus, the bitchy drama teacher I thought were hysterical. the film used cliches and knew it to pointing out the flaws but subtly. the fact that its cool to care but only in a superficial way as did these characters singing with a guitar about mother nature. I'm eighteen just finished school and thought they captured Gen Y perfectly

Jim :

18 Mar 2012 10:38:42am

((21 Jump Street))[[8]]Margaret and David, have missed most of the humor in this. It is not an intellectual exercise but a very strong core exists in this movie for those who were nerdy 10-18 yo age when the original jump street was shown. If you saw the original and fancy yourself now as a hipster (but your 30-40) you will find this movie very very funny.

Spunky :

JONATHON :

17 Mar 2012 2:12:32pm

((21 Jump Street))[[7]]I thought that this was quite a good bromance comedy film. Jonah Hill is as good as ever while Channing Tattum does well in his role. Ice Cube is good as their boss while its nice to see Johnny Depp in a little role. The film has some good car chases and action scenes and there are some good comedy moments. The film makes good use of flashbacks. Perhaps they do overdo it on the penis jokes. I never saw the original series 21 Jump Street and intend to watch it now..